Connectors are commonly used in the fall protection industry to connect a safety line to a support structure or to a harness donned by a person. Examples of connectors include snap hooks and carabiners. It is important that the gate portion of the connector does not unintentionally open during use or a serious injury or death could occur. Typically, a closed looped end of a snap hook is secured to a safety line and a hook end is secured to the support structure or the harness. A safety line may include a snap hook at each end, one being connected to a support structure and the other being connected to a harness.
Connectors are typically made of a rigid steel or aluminum body that acts as a strength member and a frame or body to which other components of the connector are connected. These connectors are susceptible to fracture when exposed to high flexural loads during fall arrest situations. This effect is amplified as the body size increases.
Therefore, there is a need for a large connector capable of withstanding large transverse body loads and plastic deformations without separating from a support structure.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a connector with an effective and efficient gate locking mechanism.